Guilty! Not guilty?

Oh, what-ev-er! He's not going to jail. So ended the trial of the State vs. Daniel Romalotti.

Oh, what-ev-er! He's not going to jail. So ended the trial of the State vs. Daniel Romalotti. While the trial did contain some good moments, one of the most positive things I could say about it was that it was mercifully brief. Even though I understood how much it pained Phyllis to know her only child appeared to be on the verge of being shipped off to the "big house," it was still tough sitting through her disjointed appeal to the Judge. I'm sure that had I had a mirror handy, my face would have reflected the same boredom and lack of sympathy shown plainly on his. But that's about the only time I lined up with that judgmental Judge who seemed to have his closed mind all made up as to Daniel's guilt practically from the start. On the other hand, Daniel was much more successful than Phyllis in getting me to feel his despair. The sad tears tracking down his cheeks were perfect and realistic considering he was about to be sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. This young actor continues to improve and impress. But by far, my favorite part of the trial came in the Perry Mason-like finale, when Nick strolled all the way back into my good graces by turning over the bag of Cassie's clothes, which included, as all of us had come to suspect it would, the boots with the missing portion of heel. I loved the way Cassie's words kept repeating themselves in Nick's mind after every situation until he finally couldn't ignore them anymore and did the right thing. Is the old Nick with the good heart finally back? I hope so. Even though we fans had to wade through a lot of maudlin malarkey, most of which was copiously provided by ever-lamenting Lily, in the end, I have to give credit where credit is due. For those final trial moments I say: "well done, scribes."

First, I adore our fair Nikki. Secondly, I admit up front that I have no personal knowledge of anyone suffering from post traumatic disorder, or whatever it's properly called so perhaps her portrayal of it was right on target. And finally, I don't mean to minimize or poke fun at anyone who knows someone or is someone who has suffered through it. Now, having said all that, was I the only fan who hated those scenes? Between the gasping and the high-pitched cries and yelps, I couldn't understand a single thing she said. And yes, I've considered that was the point of it all, to demonstrate the utter panic and complete anxiety. I confess I was glad to have them over. Did the end of the trial also end her panic attacks? Or was it Victoria's lifelike sketch of Cassie? Or, worse case scenario, will they be coming back to haunt her and us? I certainly hope it's one or both of the former and not the latter.

No such traumatic after effects for our girl, Brittany, I see. Near as I can tell she hasn't a worry in the world that anyone might be coming after her or Joshua seeking retribution for her husband's treachery. Granted, she wasn't the one trussed like a turkey facing that little hole at the end of a gun. And she isn't living at the Ranch either, where, as anyone can tell you, security or no, everyone and anyone seems able to obtain easy access to either of the Newman domiciles. After her brief stint as a penny-watching apartment dweller, except for the pennies it took to keep her in fashionable maternity tops, that is, it has taken her no time at all to return to her princess ways and diva demeanor. Knowing Brittany, I'm sure she picked the grandest of all the Mansion's guest rooms, yet she felt the need to don a rob, pile up an armful of her personal possessions and strew them all over the living room, then perch her toe claws on the living room table to apply a fresh coat of varnish. I couldn't have been the only fan who wanted to push her half-painted paws to the floor. I don't care that the snobbish ways of the Hodges imply they come from the moneyed masses. Their spawn is a classless cow, I mean kid, I mean, child.

Thanks to Granny Got Some Bucks, the always simpering Mac has a darn good reason to keep that inane grin plastered across her face. Granny has seen to it that should he so desire, J.T. need take only a few giant steps to bring him within easy reach of the door opening directly into her darling granddaughter's bedchamber. And despite her tiresomely expressed suspicion that Brittany wants J.T. for more than just her best bud, I suspect it won't be long before Mac is throwing back the covers and inviting him to frolic with her on her lavender scented sheets. For one brief moment, I hoped the stale, formal air of the Mansion was about to receive an infusion of life with Kevin's presence, but J.T. immediately saw to it that my tiny hope met a speedy demise. The apartment over the garage was still way too close to comfortably allay J.T.'s insecurities and before I could take a deep breath, it was settled. Kevin would be living at the loft instead. I presume moving to the Mansion would have involved a free rent arrangement, thus leaving Kevin able to use his funds for his share of the coffeehouse buy. By the way, after all the plans of Kevin, Mac and Granny, isn't it about time someone checks with the Newman's to see if they're actually interested in selling the place where they lost their hearts to one another. But back to Kevin and his finances. Wouldn't he have to cover the rent at the Loft, once shared by four, which would soon seriously deplete his small windfall? Okay, putting all those mundane money matters aside, who else guesses the real reason the former Glo show was moved to the mansion so Kevin could unpack his parcels at the Loft is so that the one who will wind up sharing all that unused space with him can be soon to be arriving Scott. And if that's so, will Brenda/Sheila be next?

Ugh, Sheila. This is shaping up to be one long drawn out convoluted storyline. It will probably make the Cameron Kirsten odyssey seem like a half hour side show. Once again, Sheila dangled the appropriate amount of dollars before some underpaid lackey's greedy eyes and got him to help her pull some knotty Sheila wool over the Warden's eyes. Another suitcase full of dollars also obviously paid the price of some plastic surgeon shyster to alter the poor woman who was not only unlucky enough to be Sheila's approximate shape and size but also unfortunate enough to cross her scheming path. Who else already knows that it's only a matter of time before the she Sheila devil and the he Tom demon clasp conniving claws to begin their reign of terror? By the way, it's hard to believe Scotty is so excited by Sheila's twisted tale or believes that something like it actually happened to someone she knew. Just my personal opinion, but it was a dumb, unbelievable tale the first time around, and it has gotten no better with age or Sheila's twisted tweaking of it. So we know Sheila will be coming to Genoa City. Will she convince Scott to keep her Genoa City presence and the book subject matter secret from Lauren for now? All the while appearing in public in a blonde wig (or will it be red), glasses and some elaborate pancake makeup? Or will she wear one of those rubber lifelike faces that in the end (many, many moons from now) will be ripped off to reveal the monster beneath? Or, since Lauren saw "Sheila" with her own eyes, is Brenda going to be just an incredibly similar looking woman, causing Lauren to utter that famous "have we met before" line? Oh, I've got to stop speculating. It's causing my head to pound unbearably.

Brad one, the rest of the Seasons team, zilch. No longer having to concern himself with distracting family matters, having shamed and partially pressured Ashley into performing all the Abby duties formerly handled by him, Brad has been able to devote all his free and working time to beating his fellow Newman co-workers to the Seasons punch. And by the sheer force of his will and showering her in carefully prepared paperwork, Brad easily convinced Victoria to see things his way. Because he's become so unlikable to me, I can't help but hope he will eventually fall on his face even though it would presumably bring Victoria down with him. Hmmm, now that's an interesting thought. Bringing Victoria down with him, I mean. With the trial over, after a proper period of adjustment, I presume the young Newmans' little marital engine will soon be back on track and chugging compatibly away. With no real prospects near her age in any direction that I can see, and with Brad the opportunist not one to ever miss an obvious opportunity, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Victoria and Brad begin to mix business with romance.

The trial took up the lion's share of the week's air time, but there was still a little left over to cover just a couple of other matters. The remaining time of the Lily we fans have all come to know and be mostly annoyed by is down to days, literally, but nothing has changed since the moment she announced herself thoroughly in love with Daniel. More of the I love Daniel, he's my life, I have nothing and apparently am not much of anything without him dialogue continued to dribble monotonously from her down-turned mouth. The only remaining question on some fan lips now is, will they or won't they? The coming week will answer that question, but regardless, I think all now know Lily will be leaving us, banished perhaps to boarding school. No real word on when the recasted Lily will return. As many a Genoa City player has discovered, and we fans too, not many things (or characters) in our favorite soap city are anchored in concrete. Time does not stand still in this city, except when it does (see Sheila), and by the time a new Lily face peeks around the corner, Daniel could have moved on to Sierra or someone else, and it could be a whole 'nother ball game. I guess time will tell.

And lastly, before I sign off and turn the page over to the busy brains of the faithful fans, a few words against Terrible Tom are in order. FINALLY, the leather jacket has been balled up and stuffed in the bottom of his duffel bag. Even Tom wouldn't be caught dead sweltering in a leather jacket while stretched out on a lounge chair, drinking out of a glass shaded by a tiny umbrella in the hot, humid air of the communal swimming hole. By the way, I am so with fan Aimee, and her observation about the unreality of all those suited and tied down business people holding meetings among strolling nymphets in painted on bikinis and the like. Just the thought of all that sticky heat has me reaching for my ice water and longing for a cool shower.

It's been said that familiarity breeds contempt and disrespect and Tom's continued obnoxious presence has certainly done exactly that in the hearts and minds of his former family. Gloria drew an easily erasable line in the dirt, turning over more of John's money to Tom, but balked at setting him up for hands free housekeeping at the AC at John's expense. Although even Michael's unspoken I told you so was still not enough to cause her to turn over an honest leaf and tell John the truth. Michael, however, has less than nothing to lose by kicking Tom where he'd feel it most. In his pocket, that is and his line in the sand won't be so easy for Tom to smudge over. So for the moment, Tom is on his own, but I know it won't take long for that to change.

That's it for me. Fans, have at it!

* * * * * * *

LON - I am sorry if I sound cold-hearted, but, I understand the pain a parent feels for the loss of their child, but how much pain can you feel, to want to ruin another parent's child? I believe Nick should be prosecuted for withholding the evidence. He, of all people, accused and had his Dad prosecuted for wrong doings, what the $@!1!!!!! is this? I know this is only a show but how much can you fake and mock the court system?

DEE - Regarding the fan comment about Paul's son with Isabel. Don't forget he has a daughter somewhere who, if she has aged like other soap babies, could be a mother herself by now.

AIMEE - I love your Two Scoops commentary. I almost look forward to it more than watching Y&R. You always have a way with words that keeps me laughing. Keep up the great work. OK - about Y&R - the new pool set is a nice change of scenery but what "funks me out" is seeing men like Brad walking around in a business suit, while sitting five feet from a hot tub. Wouldn't he be sweating bullets? Someone commented on how it is just an excuse for the ladies to run around half naked. I think they already do that in their ridiculously tight dresses and very low cut blouses. I thought nobody could beat Phyllis at that game but I think Lauren has forgotten how to button a blouse. She hangs everything out there and looks like such a tramp! When they started showing flashbacks of her my mouth dropped open that she actually wore clothes! What a nice switch! I have to say the Lauren/Sheila storyline is a bit confusing the way they're piecing it together. I had to get out my Y&R history book just to make sense of it. I really don't understand why she couldn't live in the same city as her son all those years. Heck, after what happened to her and him you would think she wouldn't want him out of her sight not to mention how precious he would be - every moment spent would be gold in my book. It's hard to choke down her sudden anxiety over Sheila, when all these months she has been happily running her shop with not a care in the world. Although the return of Sheila is "good" - we needed a bad seed in town to stir things up. I like how they are turning Nick's character around so we can like him again and really feel his pain and understand what he is going through. A lot of viewers say (including you) that Sharon's grief is unbelievable; I think it is right on the money; OK maybe a few more tears should be shed, but would we really want to watch that? At first it seemed she was pursuing Brad, but now the shoe seems to be on the other foot. And they really should've done a bit more with Noah. He must be stored in a closet somewhere. Isn't that what they do with all children, til they grow up? LOL The writers really need help exploring more adjectives - the only one they can use is "amazing." I'm beginning to think they signed a contract with Webster's dictionary to use that word AT LEAST 3 times an episode. Go ahead and count, it will make ya crazy.

ANTOINE -So far Sheila is playing the nice well prepared student. I was just wonderin' how do you think she got an exact twin to be in the insane asylum where she is supposed to be?

MACARENA - I was willing to buy that Scott is only in danger if he's in GC. I can see how that would make sense to Lauren, even after we found out that didn't deter Sheila. But then it occurred to me... Lauren's been hiding her son all these years under his and his father's name?!

EVE - So, let me get this straight. Kevin committed statutory rape with Lily, gave her an STD, tried to murder Colleen, burned Gina's restaurant down to the ground, but everything is hunky-dory because he spent a weekend in jail and got the crap beat out of him. On the other hand, Daniel, is guilty only of two things - arranging for Lily to be assaulted so Kevin could rescue her (bad) and being an arrogant jerk (normal for a teenager) - but HE has to go through a whole summer in jail, enduring one of the lamest trials Y&R has ever put on, be accused by everyone in GC of DUI and homicide, and perhaps go to prison for a while before Nick coughs up the absolving evidence. I'll tell you what, looks like attempted murder gets off pretty easy in GC to me. Or is all of this the writers' way of making Phyllis pay for HER attempted murder (Paul & Christine) vicariously? Either way, it sucks. Hey, Y&R writers, let the ones who do the crimes do the time!

JANA - I cannot believe Daniel and Lily slept together. I knew it was coming but the way it was written was so cheesy I wanted to vomit. I hate the storyline with Sheila, they haven't really done anything and it's already making me bored. I have to say I loved the way Chris couldn't keep her emotions in check at the end of the trial, it was great. I love her, want to see her back with Michael or Danny. Hated that the writers couldn't bring Danny back, there was so much that they could have done with him. I'm a die hard Danny and Chris fan. Though I love Chris and Michael together. Him and Lauren don't work well.